Chapter 86
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Blitzkrieg (6)
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Jin Ga-yong ran into Dan Geum right in front of the building.
Dan Geum had just been about to charge out the main gate after the bandit who had fled, his eyes blazing with murderous intent, but he quickly reined in his aura upon spotting Jin Ga-yong.
As Jin Ga-yong stepped inside and scanned the interior, the commotion had died down, but traces of it remained in the form of utter chaos.
"Is it over?"
"The one who bolted from the first floor was the last survivor."
"And this floor?"
"Two went up, so by now..."
Just then, A Jeok-gang and Na-mok were descending the stairs, their weapons glistening as if dipped in red paint.
A Jeok-gang answered.
"This floor's cleared too. Being a lodging, there was a lot to clean up."
"Good work."
"But it must have been noisy. You okay with that?"
"Hmm. What do you think?"
As Jin Ga-yong turned and tossed the question back, Sa-myo entered the building and replied.
"Should be fine for the moment. I sensed presences in a couple spots, but they didn't dare come out. Probably hiding in fear."
"So it's just a matter of time. Tch, I thought it might go smoothly."
Na-mok clicked his tongue in disappointment, but Jin Ga-yong shook his head.
"Doesn't matter. It was bound to get out anyway. From here on, we hurry."
The Face Pursuit Unit's group no longer cared about prying eyes and dashed off using lightness skill.
Their movements would eventually reach the enemy, but they planned to arrive at the West Rock Gate before that news did.
In their haste, they cut straight into an alley at a fork, where four bandits were huddled at the far end opposite them.
The bandits were sharing smokes and chatting idly when the suspicious armed group poured into the alley, startling them into stumbling to their feet. Before they could say a word, Sa-myo, leading the charge, struck first.
"Halt! We're a search team dispatched by the upper echelons to root out spies. You look suspicious—state your identities."
"Whoa, hold on. We're from the O District's guard unit, just taking a break... Here's our proof."
Two fumbled for tokens in their bosoms while another waved his hands frantically, trying to calm the onrushing group.
The self-proclaimed search team looked furious, after all.
The last one subtly backed away, gripping his sword hilt. Something felt off.
Sa-myo, without missing a beat even while sprinting, pointed accusingly at him.
"That guy's suspicious! Grab him!"
"Aw, damn it. It's a misunderstanding."
The singled-out bandit panicked, releasing the hilt and throwing up both arms.
An effort to clear things up.
But all those efforts were in vain.
By then, the Face Pursuit Unit had closed in, lunging ferociously and swinging their weapons without warning.
Thus, the four bandits fell in a bloody heap without meaningful resistance. To them, it was utterly absurd.
"Misunderstanding, you bastards!"
One still breathing sprawled out, indignant to the end.
Jin Ga-yong approached him, curiosity striking.
Did he still believe they were a search team?
Or was it too late to turn back, so he was pretending to the bitter end?
Slash.
Jin Ga-yong ended the dying bandit's pain and thought: If it offered even a shred of comfort on his way out, why not? He leaned in and whispered.
"Yeah. It was a misunderstanding."
The team gathered around Jin Ga-yong once cleanup was done.
Sa-myo spoke.
"This is the alley's end. Head back out, and you'll see the West Rock Gate across the main road."
"Perfect. Everyone ready?"
"Warmed up just right."
Ye Dok-du replied, cracking his knuckles with interlaced fingers.
When Wang Baek-gun asked, "Shall I lend a hand?" Jin Ga-yong politely declined: "I'll call on you if it comes to that."
Then he told the team.
"Let's go."
Twelve sentries stood guard at the West Rock Gate.
Normally, they rotated in groups of four: one on the ramparts, one around the gate, and the last resting in reserve before cycling in.
But this was an emergency. Without extra reinforcements, all twelve split evenly—six on the ramparts, six at the gate.
No reinforcements because they lacked the manpower. Many bandits had chased outside the city, and the rest clustered around the troubled East Name Gate.
"Things feel off, don't they?"
"That's why you and I are spinning our wheels."
The big-nosed bandit nicknamed "Big Nose" got a bored reply from big-eyed "Buckeye."
The two were chatting while watching the left flank from the ramparts.
Buckeye and Big Nose.
They must have had proper names from their parents at birth, but in the Yellow Worm Regiment, only nicknames mattered—no one used real names. Even after four years as inseparable partners, they didn't know each other's true names.
Perhaps even they had forgotten their own.
This wasn't unique to them.
Most bandits were the same. Joining the Yellow Worm Regiment meant discarding one's last scrap of conscience—and name—as tradition.
Why?
Becoming a member meant renouncing humanity. Pillaging and killing at will, drowning in the thrill—how could one claim to be human?
In this hellish pit, names and conscience were mere hindrances.
Big Nose ranted when Buckeye showed no interest. Not from any deep intent—just killing time on dull duty.
"Frustrating. I don't mean that. With all these incidents lately, doesn't it feel like something huge is coming?"
"Dunno. Never thought about it."
"Come on. Can't you smell the danger? You take everything at face value—that's your problem. You need to hone your instincts for crises."
"So your sensitive nose sniffed out a threat?"
"Exactly. Interested now?"
"Nope."
Big Nose fumed at the curt dismissal. He pressed.
"Why not?"
"What do you want me to do?"
"Prepare, obviously..."
"Prepare how? Got somewhere else to go? I don't."
"Ahem, not yet, but we should plan something soon."
"No. I abandoned everything coming here. This is my end of the line. Even if a sandstorm swallows it all tomorrow, I'll stay."
"..."
Big Nose scratched his nose, speechless, thinking.
'Damn, that guy's prickly today. What's his deal? End of the line? Crazy... Though crazies aren't rare here.'
Out of retorts, he inwardly cursed, but Buckeye stared ahead with bulging eyes, then broke the silence apologetically.
"Hey... See that?"
"See what? Can't smell worth a damn, but bragging your eyes are better?"
Big Nose snapped irritably, but Buckeye widened his eyes further, pointed, and yelled.
"Enemies!"
Big Nose looked down in shock—robbers-looking thugs were charging across the main road toward them!
One sprinted ahead, straight at their section.
Of course, they were on the rampart walkway, the runner below the wall.
So it was weird.
'What? Not gonna crash into the wall... Climb it? But it's nearly ten feet high!'
Yet the man really scaled it.
Thud-thud.
After four or five steps, he hurled a hook from his shoulder upward. It arced and hooked the wall.
The rope tautened.
Clearly planning to climb it.
While Big Nose panicked, Buckeye reacted fast, drawing his saber from his waist and rushing the hook to cut the rope.
Spurred by his partner, Big Nose drew his own saber and yelled while charging to help.
"Enemies! Enemies incoming!"
The wall-climber Big Nose saw was Jin Ga-yong.
Jin Ga-yong scaled midway, then hooked the wall—now over ten feet up. As he yanked the rope taut left-handed, a bandit popped up top, trying to sever it.
Jin Ga-yong admired the quick response but didn't falter.
He wrenched the rope hard left-handed while stomping the wall right-footed, launching upward.
Midair, his propelled form shot up nearly ten feet rigidly, mimicking the peerless lightness skill Riding Qi to the Heavens.
"Ah...!"
Buckeye, mid-cut, recoiled as something surged before him. He gawked upward blankly.
What was that?
Then he clearly saw Jin Ga-yong at the apex, raising his sword skyward.
That charging guy?
Buckeye glared, saber raised reflexively. Sadly, that was his last scene.
The world flipped, burning red!
Splurt—gush.
Jin Ga-yong dropped, cleaving the bandit diagonally with a powerful slash.
As he landed lightly on the West Rock Gate's wall, the severed saber head soared skyward.
The bandit's upper body—from left shoulder to below right chest—flopped, spraying blood, while the lower vomited guts.
Hic.
Big Nose, charging bravely to aid, had barely taken two steps when blood rained on him. He fled in terror, hiccuping.
Probably his sensitive nose overwhelmed by the stench.